START Prof® – THE PIPE FLEXIBILITY AND STRESS ANALYSIS

The list of changes in various START versions

The world's first program for pipe stress analysis START (STATIC Analysis of Piping) has a long history since 1969. It is continuously improved and developed. Changes in various versions of the START software are listed below.

Added ability to set the number of UNDO steps to zero. It is recommended to set the number of UNDO steps to zero while working with very huge models. In this case the UNDO functionality will be disabled and program will work much faster

Added ability to set the number of messages in Error and Warning window. It is recommended to set this value to 50-100 while working with very huge models. It will make the program work much faster

Piping model: The stresses in bends are now calculated in 3 cross-sections: two ends of the bend and middle point. For buried bends stresses are calculated in several (more than 3) points along the bend depending on the soil springs number

Piping model: The restriction on permissible bend radius is removed. Now bend, elbow, miter bend, forged bend radius can be 0.5D...10D, large radius bend can be 35D and more, prestressed bend can be over 1000D

Implemented analysis of several independent pipelines simultaneously in one file

Added paste function for independent pipelines

Added ability to insert both rotational and linear support movements in a single node

Updated test state analysis. Branch bending is now calculated at test temperature and pressure, rather than cold state

Completely redesigned export to Word function. Tables are aligned by sheet width and text is set to fit to cell

Added ability to export node names to dxf files

Added ability to not set the void factor, soil particle weight and the axial resistance factor to the soils database

Updated the flange leak resistance analysis methods. The minimum allowable pressure for flanges is given, rather than nominal pressure. Pipe diameter and temperature are also deduced. Nominal flange pressure must be manually selected based on these data

Optimized graphics memory usage

START-Elements: Fixed buried loop analysis

Fixed other minor bugs

4.76 R321.11.2014

Improved analysis of stress in tees

Fixed bug in analysis of eccentric reducers

Added ability to insert pressure balanced bellows. Gland bellows cannot be buried and can only be placed on above-ground pipe elements

Fixed highlighting error in the stress table for test state

Fixed recurring error with the quality factor of branch welds

Fixed other minor bugs

4.76 R207.11.2014

Fixed a bug in the analysis of pipelines containing gland bellows

Improved work with models containing a large number of nodes and a large number of unknowns

Fixed input using SP 36.13330-2012

Fixed a bug in load analysis for local support axis in test state

Fixed bug in analysis of pipelines containing guide support with a 0 friction factor

Fixed a bug in the analysis of the stress intensification factor in welded tees using GOST 55596-2013 and CJJ/T 81-2013

Improved convergence of iterations for one-way restraints. If an amplification algorithm is used the following message is displayed: "allowed support subsidence is considered". This is a notification only

START interface view is saved only when "View - Save current environment" is selected

Improved input dialogues for nonstandard restraints and nonstandard expansion joints. Friction restraints are now set automatically

Gaps can now be inserted for guiding supports

Changed analysis of guiding supports: 1 - friction is considered along the vertical plane of lateral supports, as well as the horizontal support plane; 2 - lateral restraints and friction are still in effect when vertical restraints are disabled. To get results equivalent to old analysis versions, when opening START 4.66 or lower version files, guiding supports can be set to be automatically converted to nonstandard restraints, according to the old modeling version for guiding supports. This change is not reversible - when a one-sided guiding support is disabled, 4.67 analysis results will always be different from 4.66 and lower.

Added ability to input restraints with gaps for nonstandard restraints

Added pipe element names. More...

Switched to Unicode. START is now displayed correctly on Russian versions of Windows

Fixed bug with cold state analysis when supporting forces and flexibility is set for all springs

Added "support loads for pipeline axis" table, where support loads along and perpendicular to the pipeline axis and vertical support loads are displayed automatically. A 0.8 load ratio for intermediate supports to the left and to the right can also be automatically considered using section 8.44 SNIP 2.05.06-85

RD 10-249-98, SA 03-003-07: If low temperature and high temperature pipe elements are present simultaneously, stress analyses are performed using low temperature and high temperature pipeline standards, respectively

Added databases for axial, one-time, rotational and lateral expansion joints produced by ZAO Energomash and OAO NPP Kompensator, with the ability to automatically select by diameter, pressure and product type

Added warning after spring selection if the number of spring chains exceeds the value set in input

Improved iteration formulas for analysis of pipelines with one-way restraints and friction

Fixed other minor bugs

Fixed bug with transferring spring properties

Material and soil properties are now saved to "ctp" files. When opening a material or soils file, a dialogue offering to input new elements into the database pops up. If the materials or soils in the file are present in the database, but their properties differ, 3 options are available: update database properties, add element to the database under a new name, or delete the element in the file and use properties from the database

Material and soil properties used in the analysis are now saved in open format files

For easier input of elements for transmission pipelines (where plan and profile are used as input data) implemented input of dimensions in "cylindrical" coordinates. Pipe element dimensions are set as a projection on the XY plane, projection on the Z axis and the two angles between the XY projection and the X and Y axes

Added automatic replacement of commas to periods in text fields. Data can now be entered using the number pad when the keyboard language setting is set to Russian

Added ability to analyze using STO ROSTEKHEXPERTIZA 10.001-2009 District heating networks. stress analysis standards and methods. Put into effect by the order of the General director of the ROSTEKHEXPERTIZA. List of changes in the new document: More...

Implemented ROSTEKHEXPERTIZA's revision No.3 SA 03-003-07

Implemented the use of STO ROSTEKHEXPERTIZA 10.001-2009 for analyzing ISOPROFLEX and ISOPROFLEX-À plastic bends and KASAFLEX corrugated steel bends

STO 10.001-2009, RD 10-400-01: Modified friction analyses. When analyzing fatigue failure, cold state friction factor is set as 50% of working state friction factor. When analyzing cold state, friction coefficient is set as 100%. This allows the consideration of the friction factor's fluctuation over heating and cold cycles. In prior versions, friction factor was set as 50% for cold state analysis; therefore, stresses in cold state will be higher in version 4.63

STO 10.001-2009, RD 10-400-01, SA 03-003-07: Instead of allowable stress, "None" is displayed in cases when stress analysis is not performed, based on applicable standards

STO 10.001-2009, RD 10-400-01: Hoop stress for buried pipelines is now determined as the maximum value of two analyses - taking into account internal pressure and not taking it into account. In the latter case, section ovalization is increased. As a result, stress from weight and all effects in operation state will be somewhat higher

RD 10-400-01, SA 03-003-07: Stress intensification factor and bending factors for bends in cold state no longer take into account pressure, since pressure is not considered in cold state. As a result, defectiveness and stress in branches in cold state will be higher, and forces in cold state will also change

Added new restraint - Marker, used to improved analysis accuracy in certain cases

Displacements table is now always produced for all nodes. There is no need to select it

Added table for "loads and displacements in restraints" analysis output.

Improved "properties" menu. Added cell displaying multiple properties (e.g., diameter of 219 and wall thickness of 6 are displayed as "219X6"). Also added ability to automatic change properties for a category of selected pipe elements, which can be used as an alternative to "copy pipe element properties". More...

Added automatic consideration of bourdon effect in branches. Bourdon effect affects support and equipment loads, as well as node displacement when branch ovalization factor is more than 0%

Added automatic consideration of pendulum effect in spring hangers (rod displacement from vertical). START 4.60 and lower files set rod length as 0 by default (pendulum effect is not considered)

Added automatic consideration of friction in spring supports. START 4.60 and lower files set the friction factor as 0 by default (friction is not considered)

Added new element - cap. Using caps allows more accurate modeling of internal pressure thrust loads on supports and equipment connections. START 4.60 and lower files automatically place caps in all free end nodes (without supports or fittings). See pressure thrust force and bourdon effect

All branches are now analyzed for bending and internal pressure. Branch types are changed from "bend", "flange", "welded" to "elbow", "bend", "miter", "extruded". New properties are added for branches (number of miter joints, weld quality factor, presence or absence of flanges, weld position relative to branch plane). START 4.60 and lower files use bends for branches with a radius of less than 2D and branches with flanges, while branches with a radius of more than 2D are changed to bends. Welded branches are replaced by miter branches, where the number of miter joints is automatically determined in order that the skew angle is 22.5 or 15 degrees. We recommend reviewing, and if necessary editing, outdated file versions.

Total allowance is change to two parameters for all pipes and fittings - "corrosion allowance" and "mill tolerance". START 4.60 and lower files automatically set mill tolerance as 10% of wall thickness, while the rest of total allowance is taken as corrosion allowance. Mill tolerance and corrosion tolerance combined always equal total allowance. We recommend reviewing, and if necessary editing, outdated file versions.

Added pressure analysis for miter and extruded branches using RD 10-249-98 in START-Elements and START-Base

Added ability to edit type for a category of fittings. For example, all extruded tees of a certain type can be changed to stub-ins

Added ability to copy and insert node fittings from context menu

Improved rotation

Improved insert node function

Improved move node function

Friction factor in all restraints can now be from 0.05 to 0.4

Standard guiding supports can now be placed on elements with a 0.02 incline

Set stricter restrictions on input data

Added collision restriction for inserting new elements. Creating closed contours is now more user-friendly. In case of overlap, the option to insert a new node is presented

Added ability to copy tees and branches from START-Elements to nodes in START

Fixed bug with load strength analysis for equipment in local coordinates. All loads in all states are first transferred to local coordinates, then strength is determined (as opposed to selecting strength first and transferring it to local coordinates, as in prior versions.)

Added "errors and warnings" window for input data analysis and for output. The element or node with the error can be selected by clicking on the message, while double-clicking brings up the properties or results table

Added ability to copy and paste from one START window to another

Added ability to insert fittings and supports into a selected group of nodes

Added tabbed view

Added option: "always calculate displacement in nodes" in properties

"Apply" button added to element properties menus

Added ability to set save preferences

Added ability to calculate distance between nodes

Branch weight is now automatically calculated and can be viewed in branch properties

Improved setting of center for rotation

Added ability to rotate around a selected point

Tables of displacements, expansion joint deformations and support loads can now be printed in global or local and global coordinates

Added ability to paste flexibility from NTP Truboprovod Nozzle-FEM

Other interface improvements, fixed other minor bugs

4.50
R327681
15.11.2006

Fixed bugs with 3D view when using "edit element"

Implemented work with two monitors

Fixed bug with transferring data from PCF ("START–PCF")

Added pad thickness and width restrictions for tees

Restored ability to insert tee pads when working with RTM 38.001-94. It must be noted that RTM 38.001-94 does not apply to tees with padding. In START, pad wall thickness is added to run wall thickness.

For pipelines with PUR-insulation added insulation stress analysis in accordance with GOST 3073-2001

Improved stress output table

Change allowable stress for buried pipelines

Added ability to analyze stability of buried bends

Made changes to the materials database

Improved interface

Improved toolbars, menus, etc.

More user-friendly input and output analysis due to the ability to switch between global and local coordinates

Fixed other minor bugs

Disabled use of pads when working with RTM 38.001-94, since it does not include corresponding methodology. This was allowed previously by increasing run wall thickness. Analysis of padded tees is covered in ÑÒÏ 09-04-02

Adjusted stress analysis methods for tees and branches in district heating networks. Safety margins for static stress and fatigue failure analyses were reduced, which allows the use of thinner branches and tees

Added START-Pro (in addition to START-Lite), where restrictions on the number of elements are removed. This is especially applicable for large buried heating networks

Implemented analysis of buried transmission pipelines and heating networks with large radius branches and bends

Added ability to wedge or not wedge spring supports in test state (previously, they were wedged automatically)

Nodes with deformation and additional loads are now marked in 3D view. Made changes to the materials database, which allow adjusting the analysis using appropriate standards

Unified START-Elements and START-Express interfaces

Reformatted and corrected materials database

Implemented new weight analysis in operation state

Adjusted PUR-insulation stress analysis

4.45
5.28.2004

Added insulation to databases. Database includes weights for common insulation types for pipelines with a diameter of 50 to 1000mm. To set insulation weight for pipe length, simply press "..." and select insulation type. Previously, insulation weight was input manually. The database is open and can be edited

Adjusted interaction with soil for buried pipelines

Trench width is no longer input

Stress from soil weight was reduced due to reduction of safety margins